Heuchera plant named ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’, characterized by its medium greyed-red and medium green-colored foliage, medium yellow-green and white-colored flowers, and vigorous, mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Heuchera x hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant botanically known as Heuchera x hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, The Netherlands during the summer of 2016. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Heuchera cultivars with unique foliage coloration and a vigorous, mounded growth habit.

The new Heuchera cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Carnival Watermelon’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,803, characterized by its immature foliage color of greyed burgundy-red with a slight silvery overlay and prominent reddish to reddish-brown venation, mature foliage color of greyed-green and prominent green venation, and moderately vigorous and mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during July 2017 in a controlled environment in Hem, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation since July 2017 in Tenjo, Colombia and Bremen, Germany has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Medium greyed-red and medium green-colored foliage;     -   2. Medium yellow-green and white-colored flowers; and     -   3. Vigorous, mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having foliage with less prominent venation and no silvery overlay on the upper surface, and increased growth vigor.

Of the many commercially available Heuchera cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Carnival Candy Apple’, not patented. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Carnival Candy Apple’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage color that is         greener than plants of ‘Carnival Candy Apple’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have less prominent venation than         plants of ‘Carnival Candy Apple’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have greater growth vigor than         plants of ‘Carnival Candy Apple’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’. The plants were approximately nine-months old. The plants were grown for approximately 15 weeks in 1.7-gallon containers in an outdoor shade nursery in West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth habit of ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in August 2021 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately nine-month-old plants produced from in vitro plantlets and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 1.7-gallon containers for approximately 15 weeks in an outdoor shade nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Prior to transplant plants were grown in liners in a poly-covered greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures ranged from an average high of 79.5° F. (26.4° C.) to an average low of 68.5° F. (20.3° C.), and supplemental lighting was provided daily for five hours during short days. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera x hybrida ‘Big Top Caramel     Apple’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘Carnival Watermelon’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.             24,803.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—In vitro propagation is preferred, divisions are             possible.         -   Time to initiate roots in vitro.—Approximately 10 days at             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet in summer.—Approximately             42 days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a             rooted tissue culture plantlet to finish in a 10 cm             container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Clump-forming             herbaceous perennial, mounded foliage.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4a (−30° F. to −25° F./−34.4° C. to             −31.7° C.).         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 80.0 cm. Height from soil level to top of             foliage: Approximately 22.0 cm. Width: Approximately 53.0             cm.         -   Branching habit.—No branching, basal rosettes of leaves on             petioles. Number of rosettes per plant: Approximately 7. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Moderately durable to environmental             stresses. Quantity of leaves per rosette: Approximately 12.             Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate to             whorled. Density: Dense.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Blade is nearly perpendicular to petiole.             Shape: Orbicular. Margin: Crenate with few and shallow             indentations, moderately lobed, slightly wavy, ciliate.             Apex: Minutely apiculate. Base: Cordate, typically slightly             overlapping. Venation pattern: Palmate. Length of mature             leaf: Approximately 14.0 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 14.5 cm. Texture of upper surface: Dull, very             weak rugosity, sparsely pubescent with short hairs. Texture             of lower surface: Slightly glossy, sparsely pubescent with             short hairs on venation. Color of upper surface of young             foliage: Closest to 146A to 146B with a heavy overlay of             closest to 178A, venation of closest to 177C. Color of lower             surface of young foliage: Closest to 191C with a moderate             overlay of N186D, venation of closest to 177D. Color of             upper surface of mature foliage: 146A to 146C, margins             occasionally tinted with 178A, venation of 146D faintly             tinted with 187A; color not observed to change during fall             season. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest to             191C with an overlay of N186D and with base of main veins of             closest to 147D; color not observed to change during fall             season.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 19.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             147D with an overlay of N186D, overlay is heavier on younger             petioles.         -   Stipules.—Two leafy stipules located at the base of             petioles. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Width:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Color: Closest to N186D. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Big Top Caramel Apple’ flowers once a year             during late spring to midsummer under outdoor conditions.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Compound spike emerging from the             base of the rosette with three to four cauline leaves.             Density: Sparse. Fragrance: None. Length or height excluding             the peduncle: Approximately 36.0 cm. Width: Approximately             6.0 cm. Quantity of inflorescences per plant:             Approximately 4. Quantity of flowers per inflorescence:             Approximately 70.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: Erect to approximately             40° angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 44.0 cm.             Diameter at midpoint: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color: 146C with a heavy overlay of 187A. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single, campanulate,             self-cleaning. Aspect: Drooping to slightly outward.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 4 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Broadly obovate. Length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of glandular and             nonglandular hairs. Gland Color: 187A. Color: 158D with             146B.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Depth: Approximately 5.0 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5. Arrangement: Single whorl. Shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Acute. Base: Lower half fused into hypanthium. Length:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture of             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous with glandular pubescent             margins. Gland Color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper             and lower surfaces when first and fully open: NN155D with a             faint overlay of N66C at apex.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Campanulate. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Depth: Approximately 4.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Elliptic. Appearance:             Dull. Margin of free portion: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base:             Lower half fused into hypanthium. Length: Approximately             4.0 mm. Width at rim of hypanthium: Approximately 1.5 mm.             Texture of upper (inner) surface: Glabrous with upper half             densely pubescent. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Densely             pubescent with a mixture of glandular and nonglandular             hairs. Gland Color: Mixture of 187A and colorless,             transparent. Color of upper (inner) surface: NN155D with             upper half of 146C. Color of lower (outer) surface: 155C             with 146C at base and apex.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: The pedicel of the             central flower of each spikelet is directly on top of the             secondary pedicel, pedicels of secondary and tertiary             flowers of each spikelet have an average 40° angle from             vertical. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter: Less than             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with a mixture of             glandular and nonglandular hairs. Gland color: 187A. Color:             146C with a heavy overlay of 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: 5 per flower.             Anther shape: Bilobed, ovoid. Anther length: Approximately             1.0 mm. Anther color: 34B. Filament length: Approximately             4.0 mm. Filament color: NN155D, opaque. Pollen amount: Not             observed. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 2 per flower. Pistil             length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Stigma shape: Pointed. Stigma             color: NN155D. Style length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Style             color: NN155D, opaque. Ovary color: 146D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Heuchera has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘Big Top Caramel Apple’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 